


The Days to Come

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Drama, M/M, Romance, Rough Patches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-17 02:38:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10584678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: “I can rent a car.  We can drive to Cape May tomorrow with the dogs and accidentally not come back until Tuesday.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is really my last fic, I mean it. I got so wrapped up in giving Tuckson the ending I thought they deserved that I forgot about my boys. Hubby Time was a great fic but I like this ending too. I can't even tell you how I fell in love with the idea of [airing two people who never share a single scene in canon but when I tell you that this ship is one of the best I ever sailed, I'm probably understating my love for them. God bless everyone who saw what I saw and told me how much they loved it.

“How would you feel if I left my job?”

“What happened?” Trevor stuck his head out of the bathroom door.

“Nothing…in particular. I'm just making conversation.”

“My love, so few people, including yourself, are ever making conversation when that’s the topic. What's going on?”

“I'm tired.”

“I know that.”

“And I don’t want to be a goddamn ADA for the rest of my life. Despite what some may think and express, I have no real political aspirations. I want to practice good law; I want to help people. I want to be above reproach, which is ridiculous, but I want to be.”

“If you have something lined up then I say go for it.” Trevor said.

“And if I don’t?”

“Then start putting feelers out. Make some phone calls and visit some old haunts. There are people I can talk to. Are you thinking about civil law?”

“Anything but criminal law.” Rafael replied. “I would love to jump back into Con Law but I'm incredibly rusty.”

“While a living document, the Constitution hasn’t changed much in about a half century. What about teaching? Just to possibly fill in the gaps until something else comes?”

“Adjunct positions pay less than the DA’s office, which is a damn sin. I can't work for pauper’s wages. I'm accustomed to a certain lifestyle.”

“Oh yes, you are.”

“Can you come out here, cuchura; I don’t want to talk to a damn wall.”

“Give me a minute.”

Trevor turned on the water and Rafael sighed. He leaned back on the pillows, tossing his iPad aside. He'd been reading the headline news and it only made him feel worse. These past few months had been nothing short of a shit show. Work, life, America...Rafael felt lost and sometimes full of rage and sadness. 

He was still technically a newlywed and should've been indulging in sweet, wedded bliss. Instead he woke up nearly every morning terrified that overnight just existing was made more difficult for Cuban-Americans who identified as bisexual. Barba knew that he had some buffers, his income bracket being one; his gender another. But it was only a matter of time. He held tight to his husband every night and prayed to a God he hardly believed in to just make the madness stop. Rafael feared that the end would be scarier than anything he was experiencing right now.

“You should call Rita.” Trevor turned off the water and came out of the bathroom.

Rafael refused to let his fresh faced, shirtless, barefoot husband distract him from the worrying at hand. For the moment he would ignore the butterflies in his belly and the twitch in his cock. Trevor sat down on the bed. He put his hand on top of Rafael’s.

“We've talked about it more than a few times. I just don’t want to be a defense attorney, Trev. I know there's plenty of money in it but I can't constantly defend the scum of the earth.”

“Oh c'mon, this is New York County, a lot of people coming up for cases need a good attorney. There's not a lot of money or glory defending the poor and indigent.”

“I'm exhausted with criminal law. And I don’t just want money and glory.” Rafael said. “You know me better than that.”

“Stop pouting.”

“I am not pouting.”

“Shall I take a picture because you're 150% pouting.”

“Trevor!”

“Alright, alright,” Trevor laughed a bit but he knew and was concerned about how stressed his husband was. 

It was a tough time for so many…the couple wasn’t immune to the changing times. They'd become much quieter lately, just holding on tight and trying to figure out which direction the harsh wind would turn. Trevor knew that, for the most part, hopefully, that he could make it through this rough time. He had to make sure that Rafael and other people he loved could as well. It took everything in him not to wrap Rafael in his arms and never let go. He hated seeing him exhausted, worried, and that rage boiling just under the surface of his skin.

“I’ll make some phone calls. You'll let go of a little pride and make some as well. You're a damn good attorney and Ivy League educated. People will be fighting over you when they hear you may move on.”

“I've burned my share of bridges, Trevor, and I'm way past my young upstart years. I can't be an associate or some junior partner somewhere. I'm too old to work 70 hours a week to make weight.”

“Do you want to take a break from work altogether?” Trevor asked. “Are you responding to everything I say negatively so I can suggest that or are you really worried?”

“I don't know.” Rafael shook his head.

“I'm so sorry, love of mine.” Trevor sighed. He leaned and pressed his lips to Rafael’s forehead and then to his nose. “Can you request a leave of absence; take a little time off to focus on what's next?”

“My footing is a bit precarious in the office at the moment.”

“There's definitely something you're not telling me.” Trevor stared hard into his green eyes. The ADA held up to the scrutiny.

“Yes, but it’s not detrimental to my health or yours, that I can promise.” He stroked Trevor’s bearded cheek. “I just need to clear my head and having the weekend off isn't going to do it.”

“I can rent a car. We can drive to Cape May tomorrow with the dogs and accidentally not come back until Tuesday.”

“I love you.” Rafael wrapped his arms around him.

“I love you more.” Trevor pulled him closer and they leaned back against the pillows as one. “You're going to get through this.”

“I know.”

“Have you talked to your doctor about maybe having some medicine to help?”

“Your voice turns so adorable when you try to quietly ask me about depression meds.”

“Rafi…”

“I'm not being a jerk, it really turns so cute. I'm not fond of the sexual side effects some of those pills have but I probably should talk to my doctor. I'm drowning a little.”

“I’ll do whatever I can.” Trevor stroked his hair. “Whatever you need.”

“Just love me and never let go.” Rafael held him tighter.

“I made a promise in front of God, your mother made sure of that, and I intend to keep it. If the job is too much and you need to leave then just leave. Give your two weeks’ notice and get the anchor from around your neck, babe. I'm doing the financials in my head and we could do a clean year on my income alone before we might have to dip into the savings. But the savings is good; it'd give us another year and still be fine. It’s not worth your sanity. You could be better somewhere else.”

“You're doing the financials in your head?”

“It’s a gift.” Trevor nodded.

“I see. I’ll think about it.”

“I'm 100% serious. We’d be fine and then you could feel better. More than just finding a new job, you need some time off. It could help with a lot of things.”

“While I don’t begrudge anyone who does it, I would make a lousy house husband.”

“Are you willing to stake your sanity on it?” Trevor asked.

“No.” he mumbled.

“You know I have your back.” Trevor kept stroking his hair. “I always have and I always will. When you're healthy and happy, so am I.”

“You're shirtless right now, Trevor…I'm happy.”

“You're sexualizing me to deflect from the issue.”

“Yes…and no.”

“The final decision is yours, Rafi. I'm here to love and support you. If you want advice you know I’ll do my best to be a good sounding board.”

Rafael knew that, and he loved Trevor beyond words for it. He was loving, supportive, and genuinely the best husband anyone could ask for. The past few months had seen many ups and downs that the couple hadn’t anticipated. Rafael had been hit particularly hard. Trevor did his best to keep their boat from capsizing. He gave Rafael the space to clear his cluttered mind. But he also knew when to pull him close for comfort or when to tell him to snap out of it and fight. Rafael wasn’t sure which of these he needed at the moment; it could sometimes vary by the hour.

“Trevor?”

“Hmm?”

“We’re going to be alright. I'm going to be alright.”

“I believe that.”

“You're going to spank me when appropriate and also when inappropriate, with the wisdom to know the difference.”

“Absolutely.” Trevor nodded.

“I might have the perfect husband.” Rafael smiled as he straddled Trevor’s lap.

“Normally I would argue such a terrifying assessment but tonight I think I'm going to bask in it. I'm also going to take off your tee shirt.”

“I'm feeling chunky today.”

“You look amazing.” Trevor kissed him and stroked his thumb across Rafael’s nipple. “Mmm, I love your body.”

“You do?”

“You know I truly do.” he rubbed Rafael’s back.

“I might need you to really, really love it tonight.”

“You tell me what you need, babe, and I’ll do my best to provide.”

A slightly devious smile that didn’t make it all the way to Rafael’s eyes crossed his lips as he leaned to whisper in Trevor’s ear. Trevor’s body tensed just a bit, his hands moving down to stroke Rafael’s ass. Sex didn’t solve everything. It surely couldn’t bring about world peace or even vanquish Rafael’s demons. But to spend an hour or so being the center of Trevor’s attention would never be a bad thing. He planned to give as much and as good as he received.

***


End file.
